


The Other Prodigal Son Story

by HockeyShit



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, This is kinda angsty, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 19:14:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16435244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HockeyShit/pseuds/HockeyShit
Summary: Willy knew the media was going to come down hard on him when he got back. He wasn't ready for it, but he knew it was coming. He didn't expect to be unprepared for the reaction of the fans.





	The Other Prodigal Son Story

**Author's Note:**

> The SDP mentioned Willy getting booed when he gets back so.......here have your angst.

Willy knew this was coming. When he stood in front of the Media most of the regulars were pretty nice about it. They asked him if he felt like he would be able to keep up, a fair question. They asked about how he felt about being back, if he had been watching games. But it was someone he didn’t recognize that pushed him in to a corner. 

“Do the guys accept you?” Willy looked over at him and shook his head. 

“What?” 

“Do the guys accept you back? After you spent months putting yourself before the team?” 

William felt like the world was spinning. 

“I- it was-” William was scrambling for words. He knew someone would try and take that angle he just hadn’t thought past it, didn’t bother coming up with an answer. 

“We all go through what William did, no one holds it against him.” An arm fell down on Willy’s shoulder and Willy looked up to see Patrick Marleau. “No one could blame someone else for trying to make as much money as they can. He has himself and his family to look out for. He’s back and we’re all glad to have him back.” 

The media guys all looked uncomfortable no one really knew how to move on from that. Willy wanted to walk away, but he knew that would look worse he didn’t need to give anyone more feule for this fire. 

CJ threw a softball question about playing with Auston which seemed to defuse the tension Patrick patted his shoulder and walked away to let Willy finish his media scrum. It didn’t last too long after that no one had much else to say. They trickled out and Willy did his best not to run back to his stall. He couldn’t if he had tried though after taking two steps he walked straight into Auston’s chest. 

“Don’t listen to them man. We’re glad to have you back.” Willy just wrapped his arms around Auston and took a deep breath. “And hey, the fans, they’ll be glad to have you back too.” Auston squeezed him and then took a step back. “Wanna go get lunch with Mitch and me? Kappy’ll probably be there too, or if you come he definitely will come.” 

“Just say you miss me Matty.” 

Auston’s face softened. “Missed you Willy, we all did, now come get lunch with me and Mitch.” 

“I’ve gotta get changed and talk to Kappy but then we’ll be there. Text me where you’re going?” 

 

Willy didn’t think too much of it. The reporter was an asshole but sometimes reporters were assholes that's how it worked. The guys were great, it was like coming to training camp except it wasn’t at all like coming to training camp. No one wanted to talk about their summer anymore, they had a handful of NHL games under their belt. Other than that though things seemed normal, he was even starting on Auston’s line, something he hadn’t thought Babcock would let him do. 

Their line doesn’t start the game, so he sat next to Auston nearly bouncing off the bench watching John’s line. He had seen them play before, he’d even practiced with them this morning. But seeing them up close showed just how lethal this line was. It felt like three or four minutes ticked by before Babcock finally called their line.

Willy changed last, he watched as Auston went out, then Kappy, finally,  _ finally _ , Willy was back on the ice, playing an NHL game. He didn’t get two strides in to play before he heard it. 

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOO” Willy shook his head and skated faster towards the play, they weren’t booing him, they wouldn’t be. 

Auston passed him the puck and the booing got louder. Willy ducked his head and passed to Kappy racing towards the other net. A hard shot right in to the Goalie’s chest ended the play. Willy didn’t look at anyone on his way to the bench. He passed Patrick who patted him on the shoulder. 

“Don’t take it to heart kid.” 

When Willy sat down on the bench Babcock patted him on the back while Ron pulled him into a side hug. 

“Don’t worry about it. They don’t mean it.” Willy nodded and moved over to let Kappy sit on the bench. 

Willy had never dreaded a shift in his life like he did when Babcock called his line again. It felt like no sooner did his skate touch the ice than the building erupted in boos. Play ended when Freddie covered the puck, it was on his way back to the bench that Brian Boyle tapped his leg with his stick. Willy looked up to see Brian smiling softly at him before turning to his teammates.

“Next shift I’m scoring a goal.” Auston cracked a smile and turned to Kappy. 

“Hear that? Willy’s scoring a goal next shift, and we’re gonna help him.” 

Willy didn’t get on the ice as soon as he had hoped, Travis took a penalty and Willy watched as the penalty kill scrapped by the skin of their teeth. Then Babcock was telling him to get on the ice with Auston and Patty. 

Patty had one leg over the bench when when he turned to Willy “Lets go get you that goal”  Willy watched Pat speed in to the play waiting anxiously for his turn to change. He rushed in to the play looking for a weak spot. Auston had the puck, a grin on his face. Willy set himself down by the half wall when Auston brought the puck back to the point. The pass was quick but right on the tape and the boos erupted again. Willy tried not to think about it as he sped through the other team into the slot pulling the puck to his backhand when he saw just enough space above the goalie’s shoulder to push the puck up and into the net. It was like the whole arena held their breath. When the puck settled in the back of the net the arena almost didn’t know what to do but settled in to erupting to cheers. Auston was the first to his side pushing him into the boards. 

“FUCK YEAH BABY, THAT’S HOW YOU MAKE A COMEBACK.”

Patty was next smiling wide and pulling both Auston and Willy in to a hug. The defensemen weren’t far behind each patting Willy on the head before Auston let go of him so he could go high five the rest of the team. 

The guys were yelling in his face, showing Willy just how excited they were for him. To him that was more important than the cheering of the fans, that his team had his back. When Willy went to sit down Babcock came behind him to pat his back. 

“Good answer Will.” 

The crowd didn’t make too much of a ruckus after that, and Willy felt like he could settle in to the game Auston scored a wicked goal and things felt normal. They got the win and Willy couldn’t stop smiling, it was good to be back. He completely forgot about the media until their PR guy told Willy he couldn’t really get out of talking to them tonight. Willy sighed and finished running the towel over his hair. 

“I’ll talk to them after I get dressed.” 

Willy showed up to the scrum in his dress clothes trying to look like he cared. 

“How did you feel about the fan’s reception tonight?” Was the first question he got, it was from the asshole this morning too. Willy sighed, they all wanted to know, he could see even CJ and Kristin looking at him inquisically.

“It sucked, really it sucked, but they’re passionate fans, the best fans in the world. It just shows I think they missed me as much as I missed them.” 

“You still think they’re the best fans in the world?” CJ asked and Willy grinned. 

“Did you hear them after my goal? After every goal? Even when the momentum isn’t in our favor, before Babs can even tell us to get our energy up they’re already trying with the Go Leafs Go chant. They love hockey, they love this team. Of course they’re the best fans in the world.” 

“And you think they missed you?” Someone else asked 

“I think they did, like I said they’re passionate, they let me know how they felt, I just hope my goal will bring me back in to their good graces sooner rather than later.” 

After that the conversation moved to his chemistry with Auston, and his goal, what it was like to finally be back. Willy gave the asshole one last look on his way out. 

“Patty! Wait up.” Willy jogged to catch up with Patrick who had stopped to let him catch up. “That guy from this morning, who is he?” 

“Jack Jacobson, I think he’s with ESPN.” 

“I didn’t know ESPN sent reporters to all Canadian matches.” 

“They aren't usually assholes.” Patty said under his breath and Willy just smirked. 

“We’ll we showed him huh?” 

 

# The Other Prodigal Son Story

Jack Jacobson  

 

> After months of what seemed like tense contract negotiations someone, we might never know who, finally bugged. William Nylander finally had a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs right in time for a home game against the Devils. Nylander missed fifteen games in the regular season along with all of the preseason and training camp. 
> 
> There was some worry that the Leafs would turn their back on their teammate for wanting to make money rather than take what was offered and play the fifteen games he missed. The leaders in the room promised that that was not the case. 
> 
> “He’s a part of the team, we’re glad to have him back.” Said new teammate John Tavares
> 
> “The second Power Play unit just got an upgrade, we can’t wait.” said veteran Patrick Marleau. 
> 
> “It’s good to see him around, It might take him a bit to get his legs under him again, but WIlly’s a pro no doubt about it.” Alternate Captain Morgan Rielly said. 
> 
> When asked if he felt like the team would hold his contract dispute against him Nylander didn’t have an answer but Patrick Marleau came to the rescue promising again that he was part of the team that they didn’t hold anything against him. By the time the game came around it became apparent that his teammates were not the ones Nylander needed to worry about. 
> 
> Coach Mike Babcock didn’t start Auston Matthews’ line which meant that the Scotiabank Arena and Leafs Nation would have to wait until the second shift to see if William Nylander could keep up after having missed fifteen games. The decision to put Nylander on Matthew’s line rather than let him warm up on the fourth line was one that was heavily criticized. 
> 
> When William Nylander took to the ice rather than cheer the homecoming of the prodigal son Leafs Nation let him know how frustrated they were that he missed so many games, booing him his entire first shift. Many thought that they had gotten it out of their system, that they could now enjoy the explosive chemistry between Nylander and Matthews. However when Nylander took to the ice for the second time tonight he was met with boos again. It was so shocking that former teammate Brian Boyle gave the young player a stick tap of encouragement while the two passed each other. 
> 
> “I think I was as shocked as everyone else, we couldn’t figure out what they were booing at first. I know that isn’t really who Leafs Nation is, I just wanted him to know that. I don’t think I did anything someone else wouldn’t do.” Boyle said after the game. 
> 
> Weather it was Boyle’s encouragement or frustration with the fans Nylander quickly showed that he was the same old player, and the chemistry between him and Matthews had not withered despite the missed games. In his third shift of the game William Nylander scored a goal that got the Scotiabank Arena to cheer for him. After the game Nylander commented on the fans reaction. 
> 
> “It sucked it really sucked, but they’re passionate fans, the best fans in the world. It just shows I think they missed me as much as I missed them.” 
> 
> Nylander would end the game with a goal and an assist on a third period goal by Auston Matthews’ goal finishing with a +3 on the night. The leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 Nylander’s first period goal being the game winning goal. 
> 
> The Leafs leave for Boston tonight to take on the Bruins both teams on a four game win streak.  


End file.
